Film gate and framing mechanism



Dec. 20, 1938. c. l.. FlTz FILM GATE AND FRAMING MECHANISM Filed April18, 1936 3 Sheets-Sheet l mw mh QW NW NN Dec. 20, 1938. c. l., FlTZ FILMGATE AND FRAMING MECHANISM Filed April' 18, 1936 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Agfa@Dec. 20, 1938. c. L FlTz FILM GATE AND FRAMING MECHANISM 3 Sheecs-Sheet3 Filed April 18, 1936 9 j y w Q Uffa@ m M l. ,00 W 5V; uw v .f (L 5 Y aj ,a j, @w n?? j@ J9 j j l Z W k .j

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WM WM@ Patented bec. 2o, 193s PATENTl OFFICE FILM GATEl AND FRAMINGMECHANISM Charles L. Fitz, Chicago, Ill., assignor to Herman A. De Vry,Inc.,

Ition of Illinois Chicago, Ill., a corpora- Application April 18, 1936,Serial No. 75,093

Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in film gates and framingmechanism for motion picture machines.

YIt is the principal purpose of this invention 5 to provide a novelconstruction of the film gate elements whereby to facilitate positioningof a illm in a projector and the framing of the lm by adjustment of thelight aperture in the film gate.

The invention further contemplates a construction for iilm gates whichfacilitates ready cleaning of the various parts by providing a novelmounting therefor. This mounting permits ready removal of the severalparts so that they may be cleaned and kept in the best condition at alltimes.

The invention further contemplates 'a novel combination between amovable iilm gate element and a framing device whereby the lightaperture in the film gate element may be readily adjusted for framingpurposes.

Other and more detailed objects Vand advantages will appear as thedescription proceeds reference being had to the accompanying draw.-

ings wherein thepreferred form of the invention is shown. It is to beunderstood, however, that the drawings and description are illustrativeonly and are not to be taken as limiting the invention except in so faras it is limited by the claims.

In the drawings- Fig. 1 is. a fragmentary sectional view through aportion of a projector casing illustrating a film gate and framingmechanism embodying the invention;

Fig. 2 is a sectional view on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1, certain partsbeing removed for the sake of clearness;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged sectional view taken substantially on the line 3 3of Fig. 1;

1 Fig. 4 is a sectional view on the line 4 4 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is an enlarged sectional view on the line 575 of Fig. 1;

f'Fig. 6 is a sectional view on the line 6 5 of 4.5 Fig. 4 showing achanged position oi' the mechanism from that shown in Fig. 3;

Fig. 'I is an enlarged fragmentary view in elevation of one part of theiilm gate mechanism;

Fig. 8 is a perspective view of another section 50 of the gate mechanismshowing the parts separated to indicate the structure thereof.

vReferring now in detail to the drawings, I show the invention asapplied to a motion picture projector having a casing I 0 and having aprojec- 55 tion lens II mounted in -a suitable housing I2 that issecured to a wall I3 in the projector casing. The projection lens II maybe adjusted in the housing and may be desirably held in any suitableposition by a spring I4 which is mounted upon the housing I2 and whichcarries a pin I5 5 that projects through the housing I2 and engages thebarrel of the lens II.

Spaced from the housing I2 is a partition wall I6 (s'ee Figs. 1 and 3)which is provided with a light aperture I'I adapted to receive lightfrom a suitable light source, not shown, through a condenser lens I8indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 3. As is customary in machines of thischaracter, suitable means, not shown, are provided for directing a filmI9 between the light aperture I1 15 and the projection lens II. It isalso customary to provide a iilm guiding means which is normally termeda lm gate for guiding the nlm as it passes between thelight aperture Iland the lens II and for providing a light aperture of exact dimensionsclosely adjacent to the'iilm.

The present invention provides a iilm gate consisting' of a pair of filmgate members 20 and 2| between which the iilm I9 is guided. The iilmgate member 20 has a large aperture 22 for light, this aperture beingaligned with the aperture I 1 when the gate member 20 is in operativeposition. The film gate member 2I is provided with a smaller aperture 23which aperture is properly dimensioned and denes the area on the iilmthat will be projected upon the screen. The lm gate members 20 and 2lare movable as will be hereinafter more fully described. The member 2|is vertically movable for framing purposes and is also movable towardand away from the member 20 to facilitate insertion of the film I9therebetween. V

Referring now.more particularly .to the gate member 20, this member iscomposedof a sheet metal plate 24 which is bent into the form shown bestby Figs. 3, 4, and 6 so that it has a vertically running channel 25provided With a smaller recess 26 in which the nlm I9 is spaced fromthewall-oi the channel leaving the lm to ride upon a pair of relativelynarrow strips 21 and 28 outside of the picture area on the film. Theplate 24 is further'provided with a ilange 29. The flange 29 has struckup therefrom a pair of lugs 30 rand 3I which act as stop means toprevent an operator from pushing the film I 9 beyond its proper positionin the lm gate. On the back side of the flange 29, there are a pair ofstuds 32 and 33 which act to secure a pair of springs 34 and 35 to 'theplate 24. Across the channel 25 from the flange 29, the plate 24 isprovided with 55 a second flange portion 38 which is substantiallyaligned with the flange 29 and which also carries a pair of studs 31 and38 that mount a pair of springs 39 and 49 to the plate 24. The iiange 38is bent at right angles to provide a shield 4| that projects rearwardlytoward the wall I8 to act as a shield for the spring mechanism and toprevent the operator from contacting this mechanism with a film.

The springs 34, 35, 39, and 49 connect the plate 24 to a mounting plate42. its upper and lower ends 43 and 44 curled about a pair of mountingposts 45 and 46. These posts are secured by screw threading them into ablock 41xed in the projector housing. The plate 42 carries a spring 48which has a V-shaped end 48 adapted to snap into a notch 59 provided inthe upper post 45. The purpose of the spring 48 and the notch 50 is, ofcourse, to determine the normal operating position of the plate 42. Theplate 42 is provided with an opening 5I for passage of light to the filmI9 as will be readily understood. For detaching the gate member 29 fromthe mounting posts 45 and 46, the plate 42 has secured thereto a knurledhandle 52.

The gate member 2| comprises a plate 53 which plate is recessed on itslm receiving face to provide a depression ,54 between a pair of bearingsurfaces 55 and 56 The bearing surfaces 55 and 56 cooperate with theportions 21 and 28 on the plate 24 to guide the film I9 while thedepressions at 54 and26 leave the picture portion of the film untouchedas it passes through the gate. The plate 53 has a pair of headed pins 51and 58 by means of which it is mounted upon a U -shaped bracket 59. Theplate 53 also carries a projection 69 having a horizontally runningelongated fiange 6I by means of which this plate is connected to amovable framing element 62 for moving the plate 53 up and down andproperly framing the pictures on the film.

The U-shaped bracket 59 is slidably mounted upon the housing I2 by meansof a plurality of slots 63 and 64 in each leg of the member 59 andheaded screws 65, 66, and 61 secured in the housing I2. The bracket 59is provided with a suitable aperture at 68 larger than' the aperture 23in the plate 53 so that the plate 53 may be moved vertically withrespect to the bracket 59 Without having the bracket 59 cover anyportion of the aperture 23. with a downwardly extending slot 69 runningfrom the opening 68 and an upwardly extending slot 19 extending from theopening 68. The upwardly extending slot 19 terminates in an enlargedcircular opening 1I that is sufficiently large enough to receive thehead of the pin 51.

Thus the plate 53 may be readily detached from or attached to thebracket 59 by aligning the pin 51 with the circular opening 1I andpushing the plate 53 toward the bracket. .The pin 58 will pass throughthe opening 68, and then the plate 53 can be moved downwardly t bringthe shank portions of the pins 51 and 58 into the slots 19 and 69,respectively.

In order to attach the plate 53 to the bracket 58 or to detach ittherefrom, lit is necessary to properly position the framing member 62,as will be more clearly explained hereinafter. The bracket 59 is movedtoward and away from the gate member 29 Aby means of a hand lever 12which isU-shaped and has the ends of the legs thereof connected by meansof a pair of screws 13 and 14 onto studs 15 and 18, at the upper andlower surfaces of the housing |2. A nger piece 11 is provided on thelever 12, and the legs of This plate has The bracket 59 is furtherprovided the lever are slotted as indicated at 18 and 19 to receive apair of studs 89 and 8| that are nxed to the legs of the bracket 59.

Thus, by swinging the hand lever 12 from the position shown in Fig. 3 tothe position shown in Fig. 6, the bracket 59 and the gate member 2| maybe moved to the right so as to separate the gate members 29 and 2| forthe insertion of film.

Means are provided to releasably hold the gate member 2| in either openor closed position. The studs and 8|, in addition to forming pivots forthe hand lever 12, secure the central portions of a pair of springs 82and 83 to the lugs of the bracket 59. The spring 82 has a pair ofdepressions 84 and 85 therein adapted to bear upon balls 86 and 81 thatare located in apertures 88 and 89 in the upper leg of the bracket 59.The projector lens housing I2 has four holes in the top thereof asindicated at 99, 8|, 92, and 93 (see Fig. 4). These holes provide seatsfor the balls 86 and 81 as the holes are slightly countersunk. Thespring 83 has depressions at 94 and 95 for engaging balls 96 and 91 andfor pressing them into holes 98, 89, |99, and |9| provided in the lowerpart of the housing I2.

In the position shown in Fig. 4, the structure just described releasablyholds the gate member 2| in closed position. When the gate member 2| ismoved to open position, the balls 86 and 98 are moved from the Vholes 99and 98, respectively, to the holes 9| and 99. The balls 81 and 91 aremoved to the holes 93 and I9I. This locks the gate member 2| in openposition as will be readily understood. l

Referring now to the framing mechanism, the framing element 82 isslidable vertically in a mounting bracket |92 that is secured to thepartltion wall I3 by screws |98. The bracket |92 has a top flange |94 inwhich a framing screw |95 is rotatably mounted. The framing screw |95 isscrew threaded into the top of the framing element 92 and has a knurledknob |98 pinned thereto so that it may be rotated to raise and lower theframing element 82. The bracket |92 has an upper bearing |91 and a lowerbearing |88 for the framing element 82. The lower bearing |98 has anaperture |99 therein housing a ball |I9 which ball seats in a groove IIIin the framing element 62 to releasably hold the framing element 62against rotation when the screw |95 is being turned to raise and lowerthe ele ent 82. A spring I|2 is secured to the bracket 92 and pressesagainst the ballv ||9 to hold-the ball in the groove III.

Between the bearings |91 and |98, the framing element 82 has a fingerpiece |I3 secured 'thereto by means of a screw I I4. This finger pieceis used to turn the framing element 62 for a purpose which will now bedescribed. At its lower end, the element 62'has a fiat head |I5 which iscircularfand above the circular head I|5 a ilange II6 is provided. Thefiange IIB, however, is cut away at I I1 so that, when the Aelement 92is turned by means of the finger piece I|3 from the position shown inFig. 2 to the position shown in Fig. 6, the iiange I8 no longer overliesthe ange 6I on the bracket 88.

With the parts in the position shown in Fig. 6, it is obvious that thegate member 2| can be lifted up by hand until the headed pin 51 isaligned with the circular opening 1| in the bracket 59 and then the gatemember 2| `can be detached and cleaned with no difficulty. It isbelieved to be evident also that the gate member 28 can be readilywithdrawn for cleaning 'puru poses by pulling/the plate 42 od oi' themounting posts 'l5 and 48. For opening and closing the im gate', theoperator need only operate the hand lever 'l2 asiwill be readilyunderstood. Once the illrn is in position, asvshown in Figs. 3 land 4,with the ilm gate closed thereon, the aperture 23 in the plate 53 of thegate member 2| may be moved up and down to properly frame the picture byturning the knurled knob |06 whichwill raise or lower the framingelement 62. The vertical movement of the framing element 62 iscommunicated to the plate 53 by means of thehead iii and the ilangei i8on the element 62 and the fiange Si on the bracket 60.

lrom the abovedescription, it is believed that the construction andoperation of this device will be readily apparent to those skilled inthis Having thus described one specic form of the invention, what Iclaim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

i; in a illm gate and framing mechanism for motion picture machines, aframe, a pair of film gate members, means mmqtbiy mountingone of saidmembers upon the fra e for movement laterally cui; oi alignment with theother gate membei', a support for the other of said members,

:means mounting said support for movement toward and away from the rstnamed gate member, the second named gate member being ad- ,instable onits support, and manually operable means for adjusting said second namedgate member, said manually operable means comprising a bracket on vsaidsecond named gate member,

a framing stem having means releasably engaging said bracket. anclmeansfor adiusting said 2. in a mailen picture projector, a frame, eprojection lens carried by said frame, and av iilm gate for guiding illmbetween said projection lens and a iight source, said fllmgatecomprising a pair ci nlm gate members, means mounting one ci saidmembers on the frame, a bracket supporting the other of said members, ahousing supporting said projection lens on the trame, means on saidhousing slidably supporting said bracket, and means i'or slidingsaidbracket on the housing to open and close the gate, the

nlm gate memberl carried by said bracket being movable on the bracketlengthwiseof the :dim

gate, and manually operable means releasably engaging said last named lmgate member for moving it lengthwise of the lmy gate, said manuV 5 allyoperable means being slidably mounted on the frame.

3. ln a illm gate mechanism for motion picture machines, a frames pairof film gate members,v a support for one of said members, means mount-fing said support on said frame for movement toward and away from theother gate member, and

means removably mounting the other gate memberl comprising a mountingplate, spring means thereon supporting tl1e gate member, spaced postsprojecting from said frame, said mounting plate having portions siidableon said posts i. In a film gate mechanism for motion picture machines, aframe, a pair of lm gate members, asupport for one of said members,means mount--` ing said support on said frame for movement toward andaway from the other gate member, and means removably mounting the othergate member comprising a mounting plate,` spring ymeans thereonsupporting the gate member,

spaced posts projecting irom said frame, said mounting plate havingportions slidable on said posts, one of said posts having a notchthereinand said plate having a spring latch thereon adapted to seat in saidnotch.

y 5. In a motion picture projector, a trame, a projection lens carriedby said frame, and a nlm. gate for guiding nlm between said projectionlens and a light source, said illm gate comprising a pair ci nlm gatemembers, means mountingone ci said members on 'the frame, a bracketsupporting the other of' said members, a houslngsupporting saidprojection lens on the frame, means on said housing slldably supportingsaid bracket, and means for sliding/V said bracl/:et on the housing toopen and close the 111m gate, the bracket supported gate member having Yheaded pins themen', and said bracket having a

